Will Pipes Freeze in Knox County, KY? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Knox County
In a normal year Knox County, KY gets 30 nights at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 46% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 109 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 7 nights. A 12 ft heat-tape kit runs $17 to $37; an average burst-pipe repair is about $500.
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 10/24, last around 04/19. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/12.
How cold Knox County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 33°F | 42°F | 52°F | 60°F | 65°F | 64°F | 56°F | 44°F | 33°F | 28°F |
Knox County next to its neighbours
Bell County, KY, 24 km southeast, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Knox County's 30 nights. Laurel County, KY, 34 km northwest, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County, KY | - | 109 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Bell County, KY | 24 km southeast | 110 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Whitley County, KY | 30 km southwest | 113 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Clay County, KY | 33 km north | 112 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Laurel County, KY | 34 km northwest | 90 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Claiborne County, TN | 46 km south | 107 nights | 32 nights | 24°F |
| Leslie County, KY | 47 km northeast | 103 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
Knox County within KY
Knox County ranks 53 of 120 KY counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Shelby County, KY at 55 nights, with a 22°F average winter low. The fewest is Lyon County, KY: 15 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 1,145 ft, Knox County sits 348 ft above the state's median county elevation of 797 ft.
What to do here
- Insulate every pipe in unheated space before the season starts.
- Heat tape on the runs you cannot insulate well.
- Shut off and drain outdoor spigots for the season.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Barbourville, KY, 2 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.